Picture-frame



(No Model.) I

W. L. WRIGHT.

PICTURE FRAME.

110.418.2631. Patented Dec; 31, 1889.

nvent N. PETERS. FhoKo-Utbngnphun Wnihingfen. 17.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILBUR L. W'RIGHT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PICTURE-FRAME.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,261, dated December 31, 1889.

Application filed March '7, 1889. Serial No. 302372. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBUE L. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Frames; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in I the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to picture-frames which are adjustable or capable of adjustment, adapting them to be fitted to various sizes of pictures, chromos, cuts, maps, engravings, etchings, and canvas, preferably when mounted upon a suitable stretcher, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The invention consists more particularly in a novel and useful device for attaching said stretcher to the frame at all sides thereof, and thereby retaining the latter in proper position upon and with respect to the stretcher.

In the use of the so-called adjustable frames which have been heretofore patented in foreign countries much difficulty was experienced owing to the accidental and undesirable automatic enlargement of the frame after the stretcher had been placed within the same, which enlargement always caused the opening of a crack atone or more sides of the stretcher and around-The picture mounted thereon, and in many instances resulted in the entire disconnection of the parts and the .falling of the picture from its frame, with more or less injury to the former.

The objects sought to be obtained by this invention are to construct a frame which shall be adjustable in the neatest, simplest, and most effective manner, yet which will permit of a comparatively large degree of adj ustment, and all at a comparatively small expense, and to employ in connection with said adjustable frame a device which I shall call a button The following specification describes and the accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention with these ends in view.

In the said drawings, Figure lis a rear elevation of my improved frame. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on theline 2 2 of Fig.

the latter being so constructed and arranged that they will slide into and their faces be housed behind the said corner pieces, although in some instances it may be found desirable to have the corner pieces slide into the side pieces. Each of the said corner pieces comprises a body proper C, cut away on its rear face at c, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Projecting outwardly at right angles from said corner piece proper are two rods or bars R, which are preferably flush with the rear face of the corner piece proper, but whose inner faces are slightly elevated above the rear face of the cut-away portion 0. These rods are removably secured at their inner ends by screws 1' within sockets in the rear face of the corner piece proper, and at their outer free ends 011 their rear faces carry lugs L. Each of the said corner pieces is also provided with an; inwardly-projecting flange F at the' front of its inner edge, immediately behind which is located a deep groove G, and around its outer edge, outer face, and in front of the flange F it carries a suitable molding, beading, or veneering V, preferably beveled off, as at 'v, at the inner edge of the frame. In cases where the side pieces S are to telescopeinto. the corners C the face of this veneering may be suitably ornamented by raised wood-work, scrolls, imitations of flowers, 850., in any desired manner; or, in fact, such ornamentation may be applied directly to the front face of the corners without the interposition of the veneering. The Whole or any part thereof may then beenameled, gilded, bronzed, or painted, and the corners are ready for use. Each of the said side pieces comprises a body proper S, of the necessary size and configuration at each end to fit closely within the cut-away portion 0 of the corner. In its rear face it is provided with a longitudinal groove or' recess 8, ofa size adapted to closely embrace the rod R, but yet to allow a longitudinal movement of the latter within it. The inner edge of each side piece is also provided with a flange F and a groove G, which are in longitudinal alignment with and of the same size as the flange F and groove G of the corners. In cases where the side pieces S are to telescope into the corners O the front face of said side pieces may or may not be covered with or the outer edge may carry a thin fiat veneering V, although I prefer that they shall not be so covered. They might even be provided with raised molding or beading; but in this case the cut-away portion 0 of the corner pieces would necessarily have to be recessed to closely fit the outline or configuration of such molding or beading. In any case, however, the front face of the side pieces may be enameled, gilde'd, bronzed, or painted, and the side pieces are ready for use.

In assembling the several principal members of my improved frame the ends of the side pieces are inserted within the cut-awayportions cof the corner pieces, the rods R of thelatter entering the grooves s of the side pieces, and the strip V of the side pieces be;- ing engaged by and'sliding beneath the edge of the veneering V of the corner pieces.

When the frame is closed to its utmost capacity, as seen in the upper left-hand corner ofFig. 1, the endsof the two side pieces will abutagainst the exposed faces of the corner piece proper O. WVheu the frame is slightly opened, as viewed at the upper right-hand corner of the said figure, the side pieces willloe drawn to a degree from their seated positions within'the corner pieces, and when the frame is opened to its utmost capacity, as seen on the lower side of the lower right-handv corner in said figure, the lug L on the rodR, which is carried by the corner piece, will strike the inner face of a cleat K, which is secured to the inner face of the side piece at a proper distance from its end and stands across the slot .9 therein flush with the rear face of the rod R.

chanical drawings are to be made in India v or other ink, sketches in crayon, or other work in pencil upon card-board or drawingpaper) with solid bodies having a plane face. After the painting, sketch, or drawing is completed it very frequently occurs that it is desired to exhibit the same temporarilyas, for instance, in a case where it is to be put upon exhibition in galleries, expositions, private residences, or stores-in order to effect the sale thereof 'or for any other purpose, and in such cases it is highly desirable that the picture exhibited be placed within aneat though not necessarily expensive frame to set it off to better advantage and to relieve the bare and unfinished appearance its ragged, uneven, and often soiled edges would present.

Heretofore much difficulty was experienced in finding an exhibition-frame for use in such cases which would exactly fit the size of the stretcher used, or else a considerable outlay was necessary to keep constantly on hand a stock of ready-made frames of a great variety of sizes; or (as was generally the result in such cases) a cheap and ill-appearing homemade frame was constructed of a common strip of molding unskillfully'mitered by the artist himself and tacked to the face of the stretcher around-the four sides of the picture in such a manner that it usually tended more to disfigure the whole than to improve its .appearance and enhance its value in the eyes of the public. In the presentcase the artist or dealer need keep on hand but one or at least two'or three exhibition-frames, depending upon the degree of adjustability which they possess or upon the varieties of color or styles of ornamentation and finish which'the skillful artisan considers adequate and appropriate for and to the various styles and tones of pictures and colors which he is likely to have'on hand. Heretofore, also, even when adjustable frames were used, the above-mentioned diflicult-y in the matter of the accidental dislocation of the stretcher caused such serious inconvenience as to render them almost impractical and useless. All of these difficulties are overcome by the use of my adjustable frame in'connection with the device for fastening the stretcher therein.

In the rear face of'each-side piece S, about midway between its ends, and preferably at the inner side of the groove 5, is set aplate P, secured to said side piece by screws whose heads are countersunk, so that the side piece, plate, and screw-heads shall present a neat plane appearanceQ From the center of this plate rises a screw-threaded rod D, standing at right angles'thereto. A button B is provided, having an elongated slot 1) near its-center, and provided on its under face at each end with a number of downwardly-projecting teeth T. A thumb nut N, having a bore adapted to fit the screw D, is also provided, and the button is ready for use.

The picture or drawing being mounted upon or attachedto the stretcher H and the frame adjusted so as to fit closely around all sides of the latter, (see Fig. 5,) when it is desired not only to secure the stretcher within the frame, but also to prevent the latter from accidentally enlarging so as to' uncover a disagreeable slot along one or more sides of the picture, the button B is brought into use by passing its slot 1) over the screw D and pressing its teeth T gently into the rear faces of the side pieces and the stretcher. The thumbnut N is then screwed down upon the screw D until its body strikes the back of the bution, when the teeth T will be firmly embedded within the side piece and stretcher, respectively. One of these buttons being applied at the center of the four sides of the stretcher, the desired object will be attained and the picture is ready for exhibition.

I desire to have it understood that my improved frame is by no means limited to a temporary use for exhibition purposes; but, on the contrary, a picture and stretcher may be held therein, as above described, for years,

or even permanently, and at any time it can be instantaneously removed by unscrewing the nuts N and disengaging the buttons B, for the purpose of altering, retouching, oiling, or cleaning the picture. The flange F upon the corners and F upon the side pieces will at all times project slightly over and cover the edges of the picture and abut against the front face of the stretcher to oppose the force exerted by the nut N. If it is desired to cover the face of the picture or sketch with glass, the latter may be cut a trifle larger than the outside dimensions of the stretcher, and its edges will fit within the grooves G G in the corners-and side pieces, it being understood, of course, that the glass is to be placed in the frame before the latter is reduced in size to that of the stretcher.

My invention is susceptible of a considerable amount of modification without necessarily departing from its fundamental principles; butI consider the use of the button almostif not absolutely necessary inconj unction with this or any other adjustable frame, for the reasons stated.

In the manufacture of my improved frame the corner pieces C- may be all made of the same size for a certain line of goods and the side pieces S of variable lengths, but of such size and transverse section as to fit the cutaway portion 0. The frame can be supplied with the four corner pieces and any number of side pieces, and the latter may be used in constructing frames as a whole possessing almost any desired dimensions by simply removing the rods R at their inner ends, where they are secured by the screws r-within sockets in the corner pieces proper, and replacing them by other rods of greater or less length, as desired.

Vhat I claim as new is- 1. The adjustable frame herein described, the same comprising corner pieces 0, having cut-away portions 0, and rods R, projecting at right angles from said corner pieces, standing above said cutaway portions, and having rearwardly-projecting lugs L at their ends,

.in combination with the side pieces S, their ends adapted to fit within said cut-away portions, said side pieces having longitudinal slots 8, adapted to receive said rods R, and

the cleats K, secured to the rear faces of said side pieces across the slots therein, all as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The adjustable frame herein described, the same comprising corner pieces 0, having cut-away portions 0, and rods R, projecting at right anglesfrom said corner pieces, standing above said cut-away portions, and having rearwardly-projecting lugs L attheir ends, said rods B being removably seated Within recesses in the corner piece proper at their inner ends, in combination with the side pieces S, their ends adapted to fit within said cut-away portions, said side pieces having longitudinal slots 8, adapted to receive said rods R, and the cleats K, secured to the rear faces of said side pieces across the slots therein, all as and for the purpose set forth.

3. I11 an adjustable frame, the corner pieces 0, having the flanges F and grooves G, for the purpose set forth, in combination with the side pieces S, having the flanges F and grooves G, registering with said flanges F and grooves G, and with means, substantially as described, for permitting a sliding of said side pieces at their ends into said corner pieces, all as herein specified.

4. The four corner pieces 0 and the four side pieces S, adapted to slide at their ends into said corner pieces, the Whole constituting a frame for receiving the stretcher H, in combination with the four buttons B, con structed substantially as described and adapted to removably connect said stretcher with the center of each of said side pieces to prevent the automatic enlargement of the frame or disconnection thereof from the stretcher.

5. The picture-frame S and the plate P secured thereto, said plate P having the outwardlyprojecting screw- D, in combination with the button B, having an elongated slot I) at its center, the teeth T, projecting downwardly from the ends of said button, and the nut N, adapted to engage said screw, substantially as described.

6. In a picture-frame, the side piece S, having the flange F, the screw D, projecting from said side piece ,and away from said flange, and a button B, adapted to fit loosely over said screw and to project beyond said flange, in combination Wit-h the nut N on said screw, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

v WILBUR L. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

MORTIMER STARLING, JAMnslniNTY.

ICC

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